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Mugal Dynasty
(1526-1857)
MUGAL
DYNASTY - 1526-1707
In early 16th century Genghis Khan (Changez Khaan) came through Khaibar
pass and established Mugal Dynasty which lasted for 200 years.
1526
AD
Baabar defeats Ibraaheem Lodee to establish Mugal Empire.
1526, 1556, 1761
- PAANEEPAT BATTLES
First Paaneepat Battle - 1526
On April 21, 1526, Baabar, the first Mugal emperor, fought with
Ibraaheem Lodee. He came with 12,000 people. By the time he came to
Panjaab, his force increased to 25,000 men. Ibraaheem Lodee's army was
said to number 100,000 men and 1,000 elephants. Baabar's army defeated
him. When the battle ceased, about 20,000 men of Baabar were killed
including their leader Ranjit Sinh of Maalavaa.
Second Paaneepat Battle - 1556
On November 5, 1556, Akbar who had just succeeded his father
Humaayoon's throne, and his General-cum guardian Baharaam Khaan defeated
Hemoo (the General of the Afgaan Sher Shaah). This battle was bad for
Akbar until Hemoo was badly wounded in his eye. He got
unconscious and was brought to Akbar. Baharaam Khaan beheaded his head
and sent to Kaabul; and his body to Delhi to be hung on a gibbet.
There was a mass slaughter of the captives, and in the tradition of
Changez Khaan and Taimoor Lang, a victory pillar was built with their heads plastered in.
Third Paaneepat Battle - 1761
On January 13, 1761, the remaining Mugal people were threatened from the
west by the Raajpoot and Afgaan from the northwest. They sacked Delhi in
1756-57. The Mugal minister called in the Maraathaas and thus the
struggle started between the three - Mugal, Maraathaas, and Afgaans. The
Maraathaa army numbered 15,000 infantry, 55,000 cavalry and 200 guns.
These were supported by 200,000 Pindaarees. The Afgaans comprised 38,000
infantry, 42,000 cavalry and 70 guns. Despite their numbers Maraathaas
lost and their soldiers fled.
However, the
Afgaan leader Ahmad shaah Durraanee was unable to take advantage of his
victory as his followers mutinied for the 2-years' arrears of pay he
owed them. Thus the former Mugal Empire was denied both the Afgaans and
Maraathaas, leaving North India in a political vacuum which adventurers
tried to fill during the next 40 years.
1526-1530
AD - Baabar
Baabar was born in 1482. He founded Mugal dynasty on April 21, 1526 AD by
defeating Ibraaheem Lodee. It was not until Baabar, that dynamite
was used in warfare. He was used to the delights of Persian gardens and
the cool of the Afgaan hills. He was not happy when he first came to
India. His first impression about India was - in his autobiography he
has written - "Hindustaan is a country that has few pleasures to
recommend it. The people are not handsome. They have no idea of charms
of friendly society, of frankly mixing together, or of familiar
intercourse. They have no genius, no comprehensions of mind, no
politeness of manner, no kindness or fellow-feeling, no ingenuity or
mechanical invention in planning, or executing their handicraft works,
no skill or knowledge in design or architecture; they have no horses, no
good flesh, no grapes or musk melons, no good fruits, no ice or cold
water, no good food or bread in their bazaars, no baths or colleges, no
candles, no torches, not a candlestick."
In three victories,
Baabar secured all of North India, but little more than a year later,
following the last battle, on December 26, 1530, he died in Aagaraa, after
calling upon Allaah to take his life in exchange for the recovery of his
son Humaayoon (1508-1556) who was deadly ill at that time.
1530-1540 AD -
Humaayoon (10 years)
He ruled for 10 years but was overpowered by one his father's Afgaan
Generals Shershaah Sooree in 1540.
1540-1545
AD - Shershaah Sooree (5 years)
After Baabar's death, his son Humaayoon could not manage the kingdom ,
so Baabar's lieutenant
Shershaah Sooree and two of Hummaayoon's brothers sent Humaayoon
back from Delhi in 1540.
1555-1556
AD - Humaayon (1 year)
After
Baabar's death, Baabar's lieutenant
Shershaah Sooree and two of Hummaayoon's brothers sent Humaayoon
back to Persia from Delhi. So he fled away with his pregnant wife
through Sindh. Akbar was born in Umarkot, Sindh, during the period of
exile, on November 23, 1542.
In
1545, Humaayoon recaptured Kaabul and Kandhaar with the help of
Eeraanians from
his brother Kaamaraan. Initially Humaayoon forgave his brother but
ultimately he had to blind him. (Shakespeare's "King
Lear" was written some 50 years later).
Humaayoon got Delhi back in 1555 AD. For the remaining year of his life
, he spent much of his time in the octagonal building "Sher Mandal"
in "Puraanaa Kilaa". One
year after his final return to Delhi, in 1556, Humaayoon died from the
effects of a fall on the stairs of his library in . His tomb was built
in Puraanaa Kilaa by his senior widow, Akbar's mother Hameedaa Begam
during 1564-1573.
1556-1605
AD - Akbar (ruled 1556- 1605, 49 yrs)
One year after his final return to Delhi, Humaayoon died. [Queen
Elizabeth I ruled 1558-1603] Akbar was only 13 years old when he took
charge of the throne. Although he inherited the throne but it was he who
really created the Empire. From 1556 to 1560, until his 18th birthday,
he was served by a prince regent named Baharaam Khaan. He incorporated
Raajpoot princes into his administrative structure. He had a splendid
library on biography, theology, comparative religion, history,
astrology, medicine, zoology. He was always hyperactive throughout his
life, so he required very little sleep.
He
admired artists. Baasavaan (Basawan) and Miskin captured animal life.
Examples of their works can be seen not only in India, but also at major
museums in Europe. He had nine gems in his court - Taansen (singer),
Maan Sinh, Abul Fazal, Beerbal,
1605-1628
- Jahaangeer (23 yrs)
Akbar died of a stomach illness in 1605. He was succeeded by his son
Jahaangeer. His real name was Saleem, but when he sat on the throne, he
was named as Jahaangeer. In his early period, he showed some artistic temperament,
but soon he became alcohol addicted and then to opium. According to his
autobiography he started drinking from the age of 18, from a glass of
wine gradually increasing up to 20 cups a day. When he cut back on alcohol
on doctor's advice, he became addicted to opium.
His
dearest wife was Noorjahaan, the daughter of an Iranian nobleman Giyaas
Beg. She came to Mugal court as a child with his father and moved to
Bengal as a wife of Sher Afagan. Sher Afagan died in 1607, so she moved
to Delhi as a waiting woman in the service of one of Akbar's widows.
Early in 1611, she was playing with her mates at a bazaar, then she met
Jahaangeer. Mutually agreed, she married him in May. Jahaangeer gave her
the title "Noor Mahal". Aged 34, she was strikingly beautiful
and was physically skilled and intellectually intelligent. By 1622, she
was effectively participating in all kingdom related works of
Jahaangeer.Throughout
her life, Jahaangeer was captive of her beauty, so much so that he
minted coins bearing her image. She herself was also an artist.
1628-1658
AD - Shaah Jahaan (30 yrs)
His real name was Khurram. When he became king he was named as Shaahjahaan.
When he took over the kingdom from his father Jahaangeer, it was
bankrupt. He moved from Aagaraa to Delhi in 1638. The huge city of Shaajahaanbaad,
now known as old Delhi, was built in 10 years. Much of the building
materials was taken from the ruins of Firozaabaad and Shergarh. its
principal street was Chaandanee Chauk. It was protected by rubble wall
with 14 gates; some of them are still in existence - Ajameree Gate,
Kashmeeree Gate, Delhi Gate, Turkmaan Gate, Laahoree Gate. Between this
city and Yamunaa River he built the Red Fort (started in 1639 and
completed in 1648), based on the model of Aagaraa Fort.
He was much more successful in pushing in south, rather than
consolidating the Empire in Afagaanistaan. He also admired art and
literature and above all architectural monuments on an unparallel scale.
Taaj Mahal built during 1632-1653 (in 21 years) is the most striking
building of his period. His other buildings include Red Fort, mosques,
in Delhi, Aagaraa and Laahaur, not only in scale but also in details. He
loved his wife Mumtaaz Mahal so much that he built Taaj Mahal to pay his
tribute to her. She died in 1631 while giving birth to her 14th child.
During his last days
of life, 1657-1666, he was imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb for the
sake of throne. At that time he was
living in Agaraa so he was imprisoned there only - in Aagaraa fort.
There he again fell ill (in June 1658) and died in February 1666.
1658-1707 AD -
Aurangzeb
(49 yrs)
See also
Shivaajee (-1680)
When Shaajahaan got terminally ill in 1657, his all four sons claimed the throne.
(1) Daaraa Shikoh (1615-1657) (2) Aurangzeb ruled in Deccan (3) Shujaa
(4) Muraad. Aurangzeb, who finally succeeded him, was his 2nd son and
6th child - a tough and cruel but highly intelligent strategist. Soon he
found that his father had recovered, so instead of taking any risk of
being deposed, he defeated his elder brother Daaraa Shikoh and imprisoned his own father
who was living in Agaraa, in Aagaraa fort. There he again fell ill and
died in 1666. Daaraa was condemned to death on the night
of 30th August 1659. Aurangzeb knew that if he had to survive, he had to
expand his kingdom, so he pushed to south. He was mainly opposed by Maraathaa born Shivaajee
(died in the age of 53, in 1680). Aurangzeb's full name was "Abu
Muzaffar Muhiuddin Muhammad Aurangzeb Aalamgeer". He was a Persian.
The last 39 years of his life, he had to struggle to sustain his power.
Although
Shivaajee died in 1680, Aurangzeb never came fully came to terms to
Maraathaa, though he allowed them to form the kingdom of their own.
MUGAL
RULERS CONTINUED TO RULE FROM DELHI UNTIL 1858
After Aurangzeb, Mugal power was fading like a "magnificent flower
slowly wilting and occasionally dropping a petal, its brilliance fading,
its stalk bending ever lower and lower". Nine emperors succeeded
Aurangzeb, between the death of Aurangzeb and the exile of its last
emperor to Rangoon in 1858. It was no accident, that the British ended
the rule of its East India Company and decreed India to be its Indian
empire.
1719-1748
- Naasiruddeen Muhammad Shaah
Bahaadur
Shaah Zafar (5 yrs)
At the age of 63, Aurangzeb's son Bahaadur Shaah took the last Guru of
Sikh in his service.
Bahaadur Shaah II - the last Mugal Emperor (-1858)
During the 1857 mutiny Bahaadur Shaah took shelter in Humaayoon's Tomb
with his three sons. Over 80, he was seen as a figurehead by Muslims
opposing the British. When captured, he was transferred to Rangoon (Burmaa)
for the remaining four years of his life.
Mugal
rule continued from Delhi until 1858.
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